Suction heads of sheet counter

ABSTRACT

In order to prevent oscillatory motion from being imparted to a stack of bills or the like as they are successively separated into another stack by a plurality of suction heads rotatably mounted on a rotary disk in an annular arrangement, each of the suction heads is provided with an arcuate surface through which are formed ports for applying suction to the successive bills. The arcuate surface is such that the distance between the surface and the axis of rotation of the suction head gradually increases from one edge of the arcuate surface, where the suction head first contacts each foremost one of the bills, to the opposite edge thereof. Each suction head may have another arcuate surface adapted to minimize the oscillatory motion imparted to the stack of already separated sheets.

United States Patent [:91

Murakami SUCTION HEADS OF SHEET COUNTER [75] Inventor: Yasuo Murakaml, Himeji, Japan [73] Assignee: Glory Kogyo Kabushiki Kalsha, Hyogo, Japan [22] Filed: July 20, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 381,285

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [4 1 Sept. 9, 1975 Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Bruce H. Stoner, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Holman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT In order to prevent oscillatory motion from being imparted to a stack of bills or the like as they are successively separated into another stack by a plurality of suction heads rotatably mounted on a rotary disk in an annular arrangement, each of the suction heads is provided with an arcuate surface through which are formed ports for applying suction to the successive bills. The arcuate surface is such that the distance between the surface and the axis of rotation of the suction head gradually increases from one edge of the arcuate surface. where the suction head first contacts each foremost one of the bills, to the opposite edge thereof. Each suction head may have another arcuate surface adapted to minimize the oscillatory motion imparted to the stack of already separated sheetsv 3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED SEP 91975 3. 904, 189 SHEET 3 [1f FIG. 6 PRIOR ART PATENTEDSEP 91975 3.904.189

saw u 0f 9 FIG. 9

SUCTION HEADS OF SHEET COUNTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to counters for counting bills, tickets, cards, and other sheets having a definite size (referred to as sheet counters throughout this specification and the appended claims). More specifically, the invention is directed to improvements in suction heads used in such sheet counters.

PRIOR ART In a known sheet counter of a type to which this invention is directed, a plurality of suction heads are ro tatably mounted on a rotary disk in an annular arrangement. Thus, as the suction heads are rotated on their own axes and revolved around the axis of the rotary disk, sheets held in a stack by a sheet holding mechanism are successively separated into another stack by suction applied through ports formed in each suction head.

Due to the very shape of each suction head, however, considerable oscillatory motion has inevitably been imparted by the revolving suction heads both to the stack of sheets held by the sheet holding mechanism and to the stack of already separated sheets, as described later in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, Such oscillatory motion of the sheets results not only in the generation of noise but also in the vibration of the apparatus, and the service life of the sheet holding mechanism and other parts associated therewith is greatly shortened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an improved suction head for use in a sheet counter of the type described, such that any oscillatory motion of bills or other sheets being counted is minimized, thereby assuring quiet and vibrationless operation of the sheet counter.

According to this invention, briefly stated in one aspect thereof, there is provided a suction head having an arcuate surface through which at least one port is formed to apply suction to the successive sheets held in a stack by a sheet holding mechanism. The arcuate surface is such that the distance between the arcuate surface and the axis of rotation of the suction head gradually increases from one edge of the arcuate surface,

where the suction head first contacts each foremost one of the sheets held by the sheet holding mechanism, to the opposite edge thereof, whereby the suction head is permitted to rotate both on its own axis and around the axis ofa rotary disk while imparting substantially no oscillatory motion to the sheets held by the sheet holding mechanism.

The features which are believed to be novel and characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and mode of operation, together with the further objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of some preferred embodiments read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view showing some essential parts of a sheet counter of the type to which the present invention is directed;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a suction head constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an clevational view of the suction head shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the left;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the suction head shown in FIG. 2;

FIG, 5 is a schematic top plan view explanatory of the sheet counting operation by the suction head shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4;

FIG. 6 is also a schematic top plan view explanatory of the sheet counting operation by a prior art suction head;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of a suction head of a construction according to another preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the suction head shown in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic top plan view explanatory of the sheet counting operation by the suction head shown in FIGS, 7 and 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Some pertinent components of a sheet counter to which this invention is directed will now be described in some detail with reference to FIG. I, the better to make clear the objects, features, and advantages of the invention A plurality of suction heads I are rotatably mounted on a rotary disk 3 in an annular arrangement. These suction heads are rotatable clockwise about their respective axes, and the rotary disk revolves counterclockwise, as indicated by the arrows respectively in the drawing,

A stationary disk 4 is provided below the rotary disk 3 in coaxial relationship therewith, and a plurality of projections 5 are disposed circumferentially around the stationary disk so as to correspond to respective suction heads. These projections coact with a switch S in a known manner to count bills or other sheets 2 held in a neat stack by a sheet holding mechanism 6 comprising a support plate 7 and a bar 8.

A pipe 9 is provided below the stack of sheets 2 to separate the successive sheets by a blast of air supplied through its ports 10. The suction heads 1 are communicated with a suction port of a vacuum pump through their respective valves in a manner such that a desired degree of vacuum is produced in each suction head only during its travel from position I to position II indicated in FIG. 1.

According to the novel concepts of this invention, each of the suction heads I is constructed as illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. As best shown in FIG. 4. a surface 12 of the suction head through which are formed a plurality of suction ports 11 and which is adapted for direct contact with each foremost one of the sheets 2 held by the sheet holding mechanism 6 is arched when the head is viewed cross-sectionally. Moreover, the distance between this arched surface and the axis of rotation of the suction head gradually increases from leading edge 12a, where the head first comes into contact with each foremost me of the sheets 2, to trailing edge 12b. The rate of this gradual increase is determined in accordance with the change in the distance between the surface of the foremost sheet 2 and the circle A followed by the axis of the suction head during its revolution around the axis of the disk 3, as depicted schematically in FIG. 5. In this manner, the line connecting the outermost points of the suction head traveling adjacent the stack of sheets 2 and rotating on its own axis and around the axis of the disk 3 becomes substantially parallel to the surface of the foremost sheet.

Portion 12c of the arched surface 12 on which are formed the aforesaid suction ports 11 is rendered flat to make neat contact with the surface of each foremost sheet, and the upper edge of this flat portion 12c gradually rises to the arched surface 12.

In this particular embodiment of the invention, a surface 13 of the suction head opposite to the arched surface 12 is of exactly the same shape as the surface 12, so that the suction head is symmetrical with respect to the line C-C passing the axis of the head and the aforesaid trailing edge 12b. A surface 14 between the leading edge 12a of the first mentioned surface 12 and a corresponding edge 13a of the second mentioned surface 13 is also slightly arched. As will be seen from FIG. 5, surface I4 is formed to have a gently arched surface having a large radius adapted to impart minimum oscillatory motion to the sheet 2a separated from the stack of sheets 2 and transferred to a position of the countcompleted sheets.

The operation of the preferred embodiment of the invention, constructed as described above, will now be described with reference to FIG. 5. In the sheet counter of FIG. I, each of the suction heads 1 is adapted to make three complete revolutions on its own axis during each complete revolution of the rotary disk 3. When one of the suction heads, IA, is in position a, where the leading edge of the suction head abuts against the foremost one of the stack of sheets 2, the succeeding suction head IB is in position u,,. This suction head 13 moves to position b when the leading suction head IA moves to position b to contact the foremost sheet at its trailing edge. Then, as the leading suction head IA moves to position 0, the succeeding suction head 18 moves to position c,, to contact the next foremost sheet at its leading edge,

It will be apparent that the foremost one of the stack of sheets 2 is thus separated by the suction head 1A which rotates about its own axis and revolves around the axis of the rotary disk 3 while imparting no substantial oscillatory motion to the stack of sheets held by the sheet holding mechanism 6. The foremost sheet which has been separated from the rest of the sheets by suction exerted through the ports 11 of the suction head 1A is released therefrom as this suction head moves to the position II indicated in FIG. 1 because then the valve associated with that suction head operates to discommunicate the same from the vacuum pump in accordance with the prior art. The released sheet is prevented from turning back to the remaining stack of sheets 2 by the following suction head IB which then intervenes therebetween as will be seen from FIGS. 1 and 5. It is also to be noted that due to the provision of the surface 14 on each suction head, the oscillatory motion which may be imparted to the stack 2,, of already separated sheets is minimized.

In this manner, the suction heads I mounted in an an nular arrangement on the rotary disk 3 as shown in FIG. 1 successively separate each foremost one of the stack of sheets 2. During this operation, the pipe 9 shown in FIG. I may produce currents of air under pressure through its ports 10 to prevent two or more sheets from being separated simultaneously. This objective can be accomplished more easily if, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an overhanging step is formed under the portion of the arched surface 12. The sheets successively separated by the suction heads as above stated are counted as the projections 5 strike against the switch S in accordance with the prior art.

The advantages gained by the suction heads of this invention will become even more apparent by referring to FIG. 6 which schematically illustrates the track followed by each suction head I,, of the prior art as it revolves clockwise on its own axis and counterclockwise around the axis of the rotary disk 3, as indicated by the arrows in the drawing. It will be seen that, due to the very shape of the suction head which has the concave surface 1 through which are formed the suction ports, the stack of sheets 2 is caused to reciprocate laterally through a distance L by the edge 1, of the concave surface each time the foremost sheet is separated therefrom. This has resulted in a considerable vibration of the sheet holding mechanism and also in generation of noise, as noted earlier in this specification.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate another preferred embodiment of the invention, which also is calculated principally to minimize the oscillatory motion imparted to the stack of already separated sheets 2a. The suction head shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 also includes arched surfaces 12, 13 and 14, the arched surface 12 including a concave portion 121' through which are formed an array of suction ports II.

Due to the provision of the arched surface 14, the stack of already separated sheets 20 is held substantially motionless during the counting operation, as will be understood from FIG. 9. Other details of construction and operation of this second embodiment of the invention are as described already in relation with the preceding embodiment.

While it is believed that the embodiments herein disclosed are well calculated to accomplish the objects of the invention. either explicitly stated or otherwise set forth, it will also be understood that such specifically recited embodiments are subject to various modifications or changes within the usual knowledge of those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a sheet counter of the type having a plurality of suction heads rotatably mounted on a rotary disk in an annular arrangement for successively separating each sheet from a sheet stack held by a sheet holding mechanism and forming a count-completed sheet group, each of said suction heads being rotated on its own axis while revolving about the axis of said rotary disk and having at least one suction port adapted to successively suck up a sheet from said sheet stack; the improvement wherein each of said suction heads is generally triangularly shaped and includes as one of its sides an arched sheet suction surface'through which said suction port is formed, said arched sheet suction surface acting to provide direct contact with each foremost one of the sheets held by the sheet holding mechanism, and further includes as another of its sides a convexly arched sheet contact surface provided with a gently arched surface having a large radius and adjacent to said sheet suction surface, said convexly arched sheet contact surface being adapted to cause transfer of the portion of said sheet contact surface positioned at the most outside part from the axis of said rotary disk along a substantially rectilinear locus by cooperation of rotation of the suction head on its own axis and revolution of the suction head around the axis of the rotary disk, the ac tion of said convexly arched sheet contact surface imparting minimum oscillatory motion to the countcompleted sheet group; whereby when a sheet is sucked and separated by the suction surface of one suction head which has reached the sheet stack, the bent state of the countcompleted sheets is retained by transference of the sheet contact surface of the suction head preceding said one suction head along said rectilinear locus and, during transference of said one suction head so as to bend a sheet separated from the sheet stack by said preceding suction head, said one suction head is made to transfer while adding said separated sheet to the count-completed sheet group and causing transfer ence of the contact surface of said one suction head along the rectilinear locus on said added sheet, thereby to secure maintenance of the bent state of the countcompleted sheet group.

2. The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said sheet suction surface includes a recessed portion, said at least one suction port being formed through said recessed portion.

3. The sheet counter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sheet suction surface is formed such that the distance between said sheet suction surface and the axis of rotation of said suction head increases gradually from the portion of said sheet suction surface provided with said suction port where said suction head contacts firstly with each foremost sheet held by the sheet holding mechanism to one edge thereof. 

1. In a sheet counter of the type having a plurality of suction heads rotatably mounted on a rotary disk in an annular arrangement for successively separating each sheet from a sheet stack held by a sheet holding mechanism and forming a countcompleted sheet group, each of said suction heads being rotated on its own axis while revolving about the axis of said rotary disk and having at least one suction port adapted to successively suck up a sheet from said sheet stack; the improvement wherein each of said suction heads is generally triangularly shaped and includes as one of its sides an arched sheet suction surface through which said suction port is formed, said arched sheet suction surface acting to provide direct contact with each foremost one of the sheets held by the sheet holding mechanism, and further includes as another of its sides a convexly arched sheet contact surface provided with a gently arched surface having a large radius and adjacent to said sheet suction surface, said convexly arched sheet contact surface being adapted to cause transfer of the portion of said sheet contact surface positioned at the most outside part from the axis of said rotary disk along a substantially rectilinear locus by cooperation of rotation of the suction head on its own axis and revolution of the suction head around the axis of the rotary disk, the action of said convexly arched sheet contact surface imparting minimum oscillatory motion to the count-completed sheet group; whereby when a sheet is sucked and separated by the suction surface of one suction head which has reached the sheet stack, the bent state of the countcompleted sheets is retained by transference of the sheet contact surface of the suction head preceding said one suction head along said rectilinear locus and, during transference of said one suction head so as to bend a sheet separated from the sheet stack by said preceding suction head, said one suction head is made to transfer while adding said separated sheet to the count-completed sheet group and causing transference of the contact surface of said one suction head along the rectilinear locus on said added sheet, thereby to secure maintenance of the bent state of the countcompleted sheet group.
 2. The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said sheet suction surface includes a recessed portion, said at least one suction port being formed through said recessed portion.
 3. The shEet counter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sheet suction surface is formed such that the distance between said sheet suction surface and the axis of rotation of said suction head increases gradually from the portion of said sheet suction surface provided with said suction port where said suction head contacts firstly with each foremost sheet held by the sheet holding mechanism to one edge thereof. 